Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Polonnaruwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Ratnapura and Polonnaruwa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $520 per month in Ratnapura vs $518 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $847 per month in Ratnapura vs $854 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,173 per month in Ratnapura vs $1,190 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Ratnapura and Polonnaruwa have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Ratnapura and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Ratnapura 61% lower, Polonnaruwa 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.21 LKR 733

$3.92 LKR 1,301

-43.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.89 LKR 3,280

$25.40 LKR 8,420

-61.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 LKR 2,230

$8.32 LKR 2,758

-19.11%

Cappuccino

$2.39 LKR 791

$2.75 LKR 911

-13.09%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 LKR 272

$0.74 LKR 246

10.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.41 LKR 135

26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 LKR 729

$2.30 LKR 761

-4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 985

$3.41 LKR 1,131

-12.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 LKR 652

$1.73 LKR 572

13.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 LKR 284

$0.55 LKR 184

56.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 LKR 240

$0.85 LKR 282

-15.29%

Eggs

$1.17 LKR 390

$2.12 LKR 704

-44.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.64 LKR 5,518

$14.28 LKR 4,734

16.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 LKR 2,267

$4.63 LKR 1,536

47.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.39 LKR 5,765

$8.18 LKR 2,712

112.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,562

$7.34 LKR 2,433

-35.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 271

$1.06 LKR 352

-22.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.67 LKR 1,548

$5.84 LKR 1,936

-20.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 LKR 362

$1.21 LKR 401

-9.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 385

$1.11 LKR 367

4.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 LKR 498

$1.38 LKR 456

8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 LKR 185

$1.16 LKR 384

-51.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.56 LKR 184

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 LKR 4,876

$9.90 LKR 3,281

48.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.45 LKR 4,129

$12.61 LKR 4,181

-1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 LKR 738

$2.10 LKR 697

5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 LKR 1,034

$2.89 LKR 960

7.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 LKR 137

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$0.41 LKR 137

-4.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 LKR 176

$0.35 LKR 116

51.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 LKR 113

$0.61 LKR 203

-44.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 LKR 353

$1.21 LKR 403

-11.57%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.1K LKR 7.3M

$27.2K LKR 9.0M

-18.72%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

$35.4K LKR 11.7M

-39.91%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$60.1 LKR 19.9K

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$2.33 LKR 773

$4.27 LKR 1,416

-45.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.13 LKR 2,697

$15.36 LKR 5,092

-47.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.18 LKR 3,377

Cinema Ticket

$2.66 LKR 884

$3.27 LKR 1,085

-18.65%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$37.14 LKR 12.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 146.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.76 LKR 3,901

$27.45 LKR 9,102

-57.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.56 LKR 2,838

$19.29 LKR 6,396

-55.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 LKR 31.0K

$69.3 LKR 23.0K

34.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.55 LKR 9,466

$38.28 LKR 12.7K

-25.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.0 LKR 28.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.4 LKR 19.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$92.3 LKR 30.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 LKR 57.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ratnapura: May 31, 2026

Last update for Polonnaruwa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura versus $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Ratnapura vs $257 in Polonnaruwa – so Polonnaruwa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ratnapura vs Polonnaruwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $780 per month in Ratnapura and $777 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Ratnapura, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10.00 in Ratnapura and $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $520 in Ratnapura and $518 in Polonnaruwa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Polonnaruwa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Polonnaruwa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ratnapura makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.